Israeli Chronicles — Connecting Israel & Cincinnati
“We Were Like Dreamers”
Psalm 126—Shir Hama’alot—presents a vivid description of the redemption of the Jewish people as they return to their homeland:
“A Song of Ascents. When God brings about the return to Zion, we were like dreamers. Then our mouths will be filled with laughter, and our tongues with joyous song.” (126:1-2)
This might sound a little over the top. After all, a mission of 508 Cincinnatians to Israel cannot be so easily referred to as “redemption.” But, truthfully, I felt a little bit of that this summer.
As an Israeli emissary (shlicha), who spends her days trying to bring Israel to Cincinnati and Cincinnati to Israel, trying to build bridges between the two communities, this summer was a drop of redemption.
The overwhelming feeling of “hosting” 508 members of our community in Israel, traveling together, exploring the land, getting to know each other, getting to know Israelis, exploring our strong and fruitful partnership with Netanya, was exhilarating. I got to witness the journey of so many participants as they discovered how Israel has changed since the last time they visited, or how Israel is different from what they had imagined. I saw how the experience of connecting to the land, the people, and the country overwhelmed so many on our trip.
A moment that I will cherish forever was our pluralistic prayer at the Kotel. Having 300 of those 508 at the Western Wall in “protest,” asking for the Israeli government to deliver on their promise to create a space for egalitarian prayer the Kotel, was incredible. Being with them as we, together, prayed with hope for peace, as one, gave me such strength.
Before I became a shlicha two years ago, I worked for seven years as the director of the educational department at Bina, a secular Jewish pluralistic organization that promotes and works everyday to create a Jewish pluralistic reality in Israel. This cause is what I have spent my adult life fighting for. This was and still is my dream. Three hundred people from our community stood there at the Kotel together, with me, in solidarity for pluralism, and made a difference. Pushing for my dream, our dreams, to become a reality. What an amazing show of support! What a great important joint venture for the Jewish people!
It was one of those times where I could feel the greatness of the moment as it was occurring. I needed no reflection or time to understand how meaningful this mission will be to the participants, how meaningful this mission would be to our partners in Netanya, how meaningful it will be to the relationship between Israel and Cincinnati, and what it would do for Jewish pluralism in Israel.
To my 508 new friends: thank you for taking this journey, for taking that huge step of getting to know Israel up close, for connecting, for supporting Jewish pluralism in Israel, for helping build the bridges, for letting me dream, and making the reality a dream come true.
